Multivac supports alternative proteins industry, joins BALPro

Wolfertschwenden, Germany – Multivac, a major supplier of processing and packaging solutions, is supporting alternative proteins businesses by launching targeted solutions and by becoming a member of Germany’s Federal Association for Alternative Protein Sources, known as BALPro.

Wheat gluten cutlets, tofu sausages and veggie burgers made from pulses are part of a market that offers enormous opportunities for both startups and industrial-scale companies, Multivac said in a news release.

“In order to be able to feed the world’s growing population sustainably, while also saving the environment, it is very important to drive forward the growth of alternative proteins,” says Christian Traumann, group president of MULTIVAC. “As a technology leader in our sector, we see excellent opportunities here to exchange information with experts and companies, as well as bring our expertise in the area of food processing and packaging.”

BALPro lends its support to those players, who are working with food concepts for the future. Experts from the worlds of science and politics, as well as companies from every added value stage, are working closely together in the Association – and the members range from raw material growers to manufacturers of sustainable packaging solutions.

“As a new member of the Association, we want to support manufacturers of alternative proteins in their growth – with modern technology, many years of know-how and experience, and with a particular focus on complete solutions, which are sustainable and efficient,” says Klaus Deniffel, Project Manager for Alternative Proteins at MULTIVAC. Every product has to be considered individually. “Working in conjunction with our customers, we then develop tailored solutions, with which their products can be processed and packaged securely and cost-effectively. And if preferred, also in the new types of recyclable packaging materials, which offer an even better eco balance.”

The company pointed to a study, “Food for Thought: The Protein Transformation” by Boston Consulting Group as suggesting the market potential for alternative proteins. According to the study, the market under the basic scenario is set to grow from 13 million tons in 2021 to 97 million tons in 2035. Market value: around $290 billion US. Just by switching to eggs and plant-based meat on these growth projections, more than a gigaton of CO2 and 39 billion cubic metres of water can be saved.